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Cast your vote for the
IBC Children’s Choice Awards 2026

Before you vote

  1. Register to vote here if you haven't already done so
  2. Buy the books: schools and libraries can order the IBC Awards shortlisted books from Peters, here, or from a preferred retailer. Consider using our IBC affiliate links on Bookshop.org or Amazon UK if you would like to further support our work

How to vote

  1. Collect and count your children’s votes to determine your setting’s overall winning book
  2. To vote, click on the link of your chosen awards book category below; it will take you to a short voting form
  3. Only vote for one book per category
  4. Repeat the above process for each book category you have registered for

The deadline for casting all votes is Monday 16 February 2026.

When will you know who has won the Children’s Choice Awards?

The winners of the Children’s Choice Awards will be revealed at a livestreamed ceremony, in the evening, on Wednesday 25 February 2026.

As a thank-you for taking part in the Children’s Choice Awards, a special video from the award-winning authors and illustrators will be sent to you to share with your children shortly after the awards ceremony.

What are the IBC Awards, and why have we launched the Children’s Choice Awards?

As a registered literacy charity, we aim to help parents, teachers and librarians source diverse and inclusive books for children. Our annual IBC Awards highlight outstanding new children’s literature for the under-9s in three categories, rewarding children’s authors and illustrators with a shared prize fund of £30K.

This year, we are launching our Children’s Choice Awards in tandem with the main book awards. This shadowing scheme is designed to excite children about reading, motivating them to engage with a broader range of books. 

The scheme follows the release of The National Literacy Trust’s annual reading survey, revealing children’s reading for pleasure is at its lowest in two decades, with only ‘1 in 3 (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 enjoying reading in their free time in 2025’, a 36% drop since 2005.

For more information about IBC and the work we do, check out our About us page, inclusive book reviews, recommendations and thematic booklists curated by experts.